Correction (April 16 12:24 a.m.): Due to a reporting error, an earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the year Kanye West performed at Duke. It was 2004. The story has been changed to reflect the correction. The Daily Tar Heel apologizes for the error.
UNC students won’t be able to drink on the Duke lawn and get “down” with Jay Sean on the last day of class this year.
Duke’s Last Day of Classes celebration is now limited to Duke students and affiliates only.
LDOC is a celebration of the end of the academic year at which students can drink and listen to big-name performers outdoors. Past performers include Kanye West in 2004 and Third Eye Blind in 2008.
This year Jay Sean, Flogging Molly, Rooney and Big D and the Kids Table are performing.
Duke’s more exclusive celebration this year is an attempt to regulate the crowds better and work with a tighter budget than in the past, said LDOC co-chairwoman Liz Turner.
“It’s gotten a little out of hand and the best way to handle this is to restrict it to Duke affiliates,” Turner said. “They’re the ones who are paying for it in the end.”
The LDOC of fall 2009 resulted in more than $10,000 of property damage and more than 30 EMS calls, and not all incidents were a result of Duke students, Turner said.
The celebration is funded by student fees and additional sponsorships from the Duke University Union and Campus Council.
Participants have noticed the high ratio of non-Duke students at past celebrations as well.
“I want to say there were more UNC students at Duke than Duke students last year,” said past LDOC attendee sophomore Spencer Bridgers, who is a UNC student.
The Carolina Union Activities Board is hosting a concert on the last day of classes and recently held SpringFest, but it isn’t trying to rival LDOC, said Kinsey Sullivan, incoming CUAB music chairwoman.
Duke plans to enforce the new policy by requiring people to present Duke cards on the Robertson Scholar bus and at named car access points on campus. There will also be increased police presence.
“It’s kind of a logistical nightmare,” Turner said about mediating such a huge event for the 10,000-person student body.
Turner compared this year’s regulation efforts to the city of Chapel Hill shutting down for Halloween, which was generally regarded as a success.
But the new rules are not anticipated to hinder the celebration.
“The best part is that you get the entire school community in one area for the day,” said junior Duke student Becky Agostino.
She said she will miss not having her UNC friends there to celebrate but doesn’t think the environment as a whole will change.
“I understand where they’re coming from. Allowing other student to come for free takes away from the experience for Duke students,” said UNC sophomore Galen Cook, who has gone in the past.
Contact the Arts Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.
